The present invention relates to the unique combining of a FOUP (front opening unified pod) system utilized for the transport of wafers and a reticle system, the latter of which are used for transporting reticles from a first fabrication site to a further site at another location, and which provides for a unified system enabling the automated and trackable delivery of the reticles between these sites.
In particular, the invention is directed to the provision of a unique modified FOUP base structure, which is adapted to retain a Reticle Storage Pod (RSP) and to be able to employ existing material transport equipment in a fabrication site which only necessitates a minimal modification of the equipment in order to render the latter universally adaptable to the combination of the systems.
In essence, the utilization of Reticle Storage Pods (RSPs) is well known in the technology, wherein RSP carriers are conveyed on OHT (Overhead Transport) vehicles or conveyor tracks. Similarly, currently existing FOUP (front opening unified pod) Automated Material Handling Systems (AMHS) are employed in a generally segregated mode from the RPS carriers and, in effect, are designed for an independent operation, which is not coordinated therewith. Consequently, it is intended, by means of the present invention, to provide a unique combination of such normally unrelated systems, which combine the capabilities of automated RSP carriers or transports with currently existing FOUP AMH systems.
At this time, currently existing fabrication automated systems handle FOUPs and RSP carriers on essentially the same OHT (Overhead Transport) vehicles or tracks in a separate and basically uncoordinated manner. As a consequence, semiconductor fabrication is burdened with the addition of extensive structural and functional requirements needed to move reticles supporting wafers being processed to diverse areas or new fabrication regions, whereby such requirements may be prohibitive in nature. Moreover, although manual transportation of the wafers and reticles is an option, this mode of operation is slow in functioning, and may, at times, result in excessive breakage and loss of reticles. Furthermore, an automated delivery of the components to other fabrication locations or additions to existing fabrication sites requires the provision of an automated and readily trackable system, which is suited for the transport and controlling of the reticles being conveyed between those sites or locations.
It is also important to be able to uniquely combine RSP transportation with preexisting or currently employed FOUPs, the latter of which are equipped with an RSP adapter assembly and whereby any FOUP could retain a plurality of RSPs through a concept of utilization of a wafer adaptation plate, which retains the RSPs, and which can be employed in conjunctive operation with end effectors and most robotic installations utilized currently in the technology.
Presently, no combination of such RSP transport systems and FOUP AMHS systems are known to be available, and these systems are ordinarily employed as independent and autonomously functioning installations in various semiconductor processing and fabrication locales or sites.
Liu-Barba, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,898 B1, discloses an arrangement for the cycling of FOUPs (front opening unified pods). The publication is directed to an essentially stand-alone apparatus, which cycles FOUPs, hoisting the latter up and down and levering a counterbalance relationship between two FOUPs which are involved in this process. This has nothing in common with providing a Reticle Storage Pod (RSP) arrangement, which is adapted to be combined with a FOUP transport system, as disclosed by the present invention.
Blattner, et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0161714 A1, does not disclose an inter-building reticle transport arrangement and is primarily directed to the provision of a storage and buffer system with transport elements, which do not in any manner combine the normally diverse transport systems for RSPs and FOUPs in a manner analogous to that of the present invention.
Ow, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,268, discloses a method of providing modifications for facilitating 200-millimeter wafer cassettes adapted to be mounted for processing on a 300-millimeter wafer FOUP load port. Provided in the disclosed apparatus is an adapter fixture, which is placed on a 300 millimeter load port kinematic loading pins and an open 200 millimeter wafer cassette is adapted to be positioned thereon. To the contrary, the present invention describes a method and apparatus for adapting a 300-millimeter wafer transport system to transport reticles (RSPs) in a combined arrangement therewith.
Busby, U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,335, discloses an apparatus within a FOUP arrangement adapted to accommodate differently sized wafers, such as positioning 200-millimeter wafers inside a 300-millimeter FOUP through a size conversion capability. This has nothing in common with the adaptation of a conveyer system to combine transport Reticle Storage Pods (RSPs) and FOUP transport systems for operation on a common transport arrangement intended to extend between different fabrication facilities and processing sites.